mic interference / fasttrack usb interface (M-Audio)

K

kr236rk

New member
Hi,

This is a perennial problem for me. I have been getting good results with FastTrack USB interface + M-Audio dynamic XLR mic, but just recently I detected a low ticking sound in the background of an audio recording. This is some kind of interference but annoyingly it is intermittant so very difficult to identify the source.

All I know is, higher mic input level = higher background noise, so I keep the input level ridiculously low, and this helps (sometines). So what I was wondering is, would a suitable pre-amp between the mic and the FT interface help, since this would really cut down on the FT mic input level requirement?

I know FastTrack has inbuilt pre-amps but I am looking round for anything which will banish this weird ticking I sometimes get in the background of a mic recording. I hasten to add that there is nothing that actually 'ticks' in my recording space.

Thanks,

Ric
 
Have you tried a different mic and/or cable? How about recording direct, no interface involved? How about the cables connecting the Fast Track to your PC?

I'm a noob around these parts but not to troubleshooting. My advice would be to try and isolate the component/device causing the problem otherwise, you can end up spending alot of money and drive yourself crazy trying to "mask" this problem. Because it's intermittent you'll have to be patient. Start from either the input side or output side but methodically work your way through the chain. Any friend w/interfaces you can try swapping out if you need to before having to buy another....if needed?

Good luck!
 
Before buying more equipment, you need to isolate the problem's source. Get another mic to see if it is the mic picking up the interference.
Move that damn clock! (Every new clock with hands sold these days ticks each second, no more smooth-flowing second hand like in the old days!)
Check that it isn't something being picked up by the mic through the mic stand.
 
Thanks guys :)

Before I go any further (deep breath) I was exhorted to invest in the M-Audio XLR mic + XLR cable to sort this problem many moons ago, and I think it minimalised it, but recently I have been working on some very quiet audio, and the background noise is still quietly ticking away in the background.

In fact I just captured it and magnified it by about 200%. Please take a listen - have you heard anything like this please ~ if you have maybe it will help me to identify the source?

XLR interference.mp3 - 4shared.com - online file sharing and storage - download

Many thanks again,

Ric
 
mjbphotos said:
Before buying more equipment, you need to isolate the problem's source. Get another mic to see if it is the mic picking up the interference.
Move that damn clock! (Every new clock with hands sold these days ticks each second, no more smooth-flowing second hand like in the old days!)
Check that it isn't something being picked up by the mic through the mic stand.
Click to expand...

OK - it's not a ticktock clock type thing I should think? It's a new boom stand but the ticking is the same as it was before I got the stand. So it's not the stand. I have another mic but it is inferior to the XLR and I was using the inferior condenser when all this ticking business flared up originally, so I am still none the wiser.

But do you recognise that tick/hum effect please - it has been plaguing me on and off ever since I got into DAW recording :-o

Thanks

Ric
 
Sorry but, being a noob, I can't offer more help than I have but, as you can see, by your own words, you've already invested money to "minimalize" the problem but it still hasn't resolved it. If I may, I'll exhort that you MUST work your way the the signal chain to isolate and then, resolve the problem. It truly is the ONLY way....in the long run.

At this point, it's not so much about the "quality" of the gear being used as much as it is about it working properly for test purposes.

Have you always used the same DAW? Has this problem existed before with other input devices on the DAW?
 
BassMan53 said:
Have you tried a different mic and/or cable? How about recording direct, no interface involved? How about the cables connecting the Fast Track to your PC?
Click to expand...

am using pro XLR cable + connections. Fast Track-to-pc by standard (recommended) USB cables

I'm a noob around these parts but not to troubleshooting. My advice would be to try and isolate the component/device causing the problem otherwise, you can end up spending alot of money and drive yourself crazy trying to "mask" this problem. Because it's intermittent you'll have to be patient. Start from either the input side or output side but methodically work your way through the chain. Any friend w/interfaces you can try swapping out if you need to before having to buy another....if needed?
Click to expand...

With respect I have already been driven crazy by this issue - and ended up buying a dedicated XLR mic, but the ticking is still there - at least I finally managed to record it though, that is the beastie, right there in that mp3 recording!

I can mask it pretty well in Sony SoundForge but I want rid of it, of course :-|

Do you think it's a DAW issue? Would a mini WAV recorder get round this issue, if I can't pinpoint it?

Thanks
 
Understood about using the recommended cabling but, have you tried replacing them? Not trying to bust you but, you MUST isolate it in the signal chain if you want to eliminate it. It's possible it's a DAW issue but, being it's intermittent, that's going to require patience. You may have to work your way through the signal chain replacing/swapping one component/device at a time and then, give it some time to see if the problem is resolved. If not, move on to the next component/device.
 
BassMan53 said:
Sorry but, being a noob, I can't offer more help than I have but, as you can see, by your own words, you've already invested money to "minimalize" the problem but it still hasn't resolved it. If I may, I'll exhort that you MUST work your way the the signal chain to isolate and then, resolve the problem. It truly is the ONLY way....in the long run.

At this point, it's not so much about the "quality" of the gear being used as much as it is about it working properly for test purposes.

Have you always used the same DAW? Has this problem existed before with other input devices on the DAW?
Click to expand...

I've always had this problem with FastTrack audio mic recording. Everything else through FT is great, only the vocals suffer from this blumin interference. Any mic is subject to the ticking through FT. I am now using Windows 7 but I had this problem on XP. The only concrete solution may be to take the mic out of the formula, record vocals separately as a (clean) wav file then reintroduce it to the DAW. I always start off with a vocal 'guide' track so that would be no worries IF I can't run the ticking source to ground ... a separate mini audio station seems like the only option.

Anyway, the mp3 clip is totally diagnostic - if anyone can identify what it is, then it's problem solved. If not then I will just have to work my way round it.

Believe me - I have spent aeons trying to isolate this thing - it seems to be endemic to my set-up.

Thanks
 
If you've ALWAYS had this problem with Fast Track, can you borrow an interface from a friend to try swapping out with yours?

If it does it with every mic, sounds like you may have narrowed it down to either the mic input/output of the Fast Track or the DAW.
 
diagnostics!

BassMan53 said:
If you've ALWAYS had this problem with Fast Track, can you borrow an interface from a friend to try swapping out with yours?

If it does it with every mic, sounds like you may have narrowed it down to either the mic input/output of the Fast Track or the DAW.
Click to expand...

Hi BassMan,

Sadly I think it's USB FastTrack which was primarily designed as an electric guitar-to-pc interface. It has a pro looking XLR socket for mic but what is behind that socket I wonder? I just tried another diagnostic - I set the condenser mic running in the studio [line-in to FastTrack] then just boosted the result about 300% to listen in on the hissing white noise - plenty of that. Then I started banging on the studio door. As soon as I started the banging, the ticking began, so the audio actually triggered the ticking noise interference. That's a breakthrough even though a negative one. That explains why when I do a mic test I often get a good result then as soon as I hit the vocals in a recording, the ticking kicks in. Over a certain level audio input triggers the ticking, why I have no idea but it does.

Here's a clip of the ticking after I banged on the door - you can hear the blanket white noise just before the ticking really get going:

condenser mic line-in test 10.6.2011.mp3 - 4shared.com - online file sharing and storage - download

So I have a problem: FT USB GUITAR great for electric guitar but apparently compromised for straight mic work.

I have seen a budget TASCAM recording unit which looked the business but has weak preamps for external mics (= hiss), so I am still in the woods.

I tried plugging my condenser mic directly into the SoundBlaster card in my XP P4 and all I got was 'serious' white noise, not an option.

No unfortunately I know of no-one else who owns an interface so that I can experiment further without a commitment to purchasing more hardware. A decent budget usb audio recorder is though, what I think I need for vocals / acoustic work (wav files). The Fast Track is cool for electronic instruments and MIDI.

Thanks,

Ric
 
Sorry to hear the news but I hope I was able to help you out????

FYI....I just bought a used Fast Track II (in the US) from Craigslist for $35. Don't know if you have such a thing across the pond but going used is an option.

Best of luck!
 
BassMan53 said:
Sorry to hear the news but I hope I was able to help you out????

FYI....I just bought a used Fast Track II (in the US) from Craigslist for $35. Don't know if you have such a thing across the pond but going used is an option.

Best of luck!
Click to expand...

Thanks. This FastTrack I is great for electric guitar and bass, electric drum kit, MIDI keyboard. If I were into headbanger (yea!) then the mic performance might be tolerable but recording quiet vocal/acoustic material has me climbing the walls.

I have a neat Olympus digital recorder which gives me high quality wav, all it really needs is a decent external mic arrangement. My option is to go for a dedicated preamp unit or use a mixer unit as a preamp between the mic and the Olympus. Having got a decent vocal/acoustic wav I then simply export it to my DAW and add tracks or shape it in my pc software - 'MixCraft'.

At the fork in the road now - preamp, mixer, someone's even suggested a usb mic solution???

Thoughts appreciated :)

Thanks again,

Ric
 
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